ACS/APDS Surgery Resident Skills Curriculum

The ACS/APDS Surgery Resident Skills Curriculum was developed jointly by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) and includes three phases. Phase 1 includes 16 modules that address basic surgical skills. Phase 2 includes 15 modules that address advanced skills and procedures, and Phase 3 includes 10 modules that address team-based skills. All three phases are available at no cost to faculty and residents.

Phase 1: Core Skills

The ACS/APDS Surgery Resident Skills Curriculum - Phase 1: Core Skills is designed to teach 16 essential surgical skills to residents in the early stages of their training, ranging from the principles of asepsis and knot tying to basic laparoscopic skills and anastomoses. This curriculum was recently redesigned to be more comprehensive, interactive, and user-friendly for educators and resident learners. The curriculum includes self-paced modules and expert performance videos for resident learners. It also includes objective assessments, proficiency-level recommendations, and comprehensive instructions to set up each simulation for faculty and staff.

Phase 3: Team-Based Skills

The ACS/APDS Surgery Resident Skills Curriculum - Phase 3: Team-Based Skills is designed to teach residents optimal team behavior through simulation. This modular curriculum covers 10 scenarios in which the surgeon must work with a team for a successful patient outcome, and includes topics ranging from patient handoffs to a variety of emergent patient cases. The curriculum includes suggestions for developing and implementing successful simulated cases to teach and assess resident team skills.